10 best exercises for hand joints: exercises for wrist pain, finger pain

fitness trainer

“Every day we use our hands to perform many small and large tasks, from brushing our teeth and ironing laundry to driving a car and working with construction tools. All of these activities require normal and coordinated function of muscles, ligaments, tendons and other joint elements. If you have problems with your hands and fingers, even the simplest task can become difficult, causing pain, discomfort and discomfort.”

Table of Contents

What we’ll tell you about

Why can hand pain occur?

Hand pain can be traumatic and atraumatic. The cause of the first is acute trauma, and the second can occur as a result of repetitive strain, inflammation, degenerative changes, neurological diseases and other factors.

Important! Methods of treatment of the wrist joint depend on the cause of discomfort. It is recommended to consult a doctor to make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe appropriate treatments.

Below are some of the most common causes.

Osteoarthritis. This is a common disease in which the cartilage of the joints wears down, resulting in pain, stiffness and reduced mobility. According to Rossiyskaya Gazeta, every third Russian between the ages of 45 and 64 suffers from joint osteoarthritis.
Injuries. Contusions, dislocations, fractures or other injuries can cause pain, inflammation and discomfort in the joints of the hands.
Rheumatoid arthritis. This is a chronic inflammatory disease in which the immune system “attacks” your own joints, which can cause pain, joint inflammation, impaired mobility and even deformity of the hand.
Gout. In this disease, uric acid is deposited in the joints and other tissues of the body, resulting in acute pain, swelling, and redness.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. This condition involves compression of the median nerve in the wrist, which can lead to pain and numbness in the hand.

“LFK helps to reduce pain and improve the overall health of the joints of the hands and fingers. Exercises should be done during remission, when the acute phase has passed. Thanks to them, inflammation around the joint is reduced and pain is reduced.”

The importance of strengthening the joints of the hand

It is important to strengthen the joints of the hands and fingers, especially if you have a predisposition to problems with them. For example, if your older relatives have hand and finger problems, this could mean you are at risk.

There are many ways to alleviate the condition and get your hands back to work. One of the most important ways is therapeutic exercise. Regular exercise, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, eating right, and avoiding bad habits can help strengthen your hands and improve their health, as well as prevent potential risks.

What to pay attention to when exercising your hands?

Regularity. Make it a habit to perform exercises every day. Many people quit after one or two weeks because they don’t see noticeable results. Someone feels the benefit of exercise after a month of training, and someone – after two or three months.

Adequacy of the load. Increase the load slowly, gradually moving from simple to complex. Too strong a load or its sudden increase can worsen the condition of the joints.

Technique of execution. In the first stage, perform exercises in short amplitude, gradually increasing the range of motion in the joints. Avoid excessive force in the exercises, as well as maximum stretching.

Feelings. During the exercises, there may be slight discomfort or unpleasant sensations, but there should not be sharp and severe pain.

Benefits of exercise

develops grip strength;
muscles, ligaments and joints are strengthened;
improves the mobility of the fingers and hand;
improves the delivery of nutrients to the joints;
normalizes the production of synovial fluid to lubricate the joint;
discomfort and pain are reduced;
reduce inflammation and swelling.

Contraindications

Yuri Laptev: I recommend refraining from exercises if there is an active inflammatory process, in the exacerbation of some chronic pathologies, intoxication and high body temperature, as well as some cancer processes.

Complex of 10 exercises to relieve pain and strengthen the joints of the hand

Data from studies in 2014 showed that regular exercise helps to reduce pain in the hands, stiffness and reduce the manifestations of symptoms of osteoarthritis.

Fist Clenching

You can perform this exercise anywhere and anytime you feel stiffness in your hand.

Technique

Extend your arm and straighten all your fingers forward.
Slowly make your hand into a fist so that your thumb is on the outside. Do the exercise smoothly.
Flex your hand until your fingers are straight again.
Next, straighten your fingers forward again.

Perform the exercise for 10 repetitions for each hand.

Alternate finger flexion

Technique

Extend your arm and straighten all fingers forward.
Slowly bend your thumb to the side of the palm, hold in this position for a few seconds, then return it to the starting position.
Next, bend your index finger to the palm. Hold it for a couple of seconds and straighten it.
Repeat the movement with the rest of the fingers one by one and switch to the other hand.

Perform the exercise for 10 repetitions for each hand.

Thumb flexion

Technique

Extend your arm and straighten all your fingers forward.
Slowly bend your thumb inward toward the base of your pinky. If you are unable to touch the little finger, bend it to the highest point possible.
Hold it in this position for a few seconds and then return it to the starting position.
Repeat the movement on the other hand.

Perform the exercise for 10 repetitions for each hand.

Forming the letter “O” with fingers

Technique

Extend the arm and straighten all fingers forward.
Slowly bend your fingers inward until all fingers touch. They should form the letter “O”.
Hold this position for a few seconds and then return the fingers to the starting position.
Repeat the movement on the other hand.

Perform 10 repetitions for each hand.

Bending all fingers

Technique

Place your hand with the edge of the palm on the table and straighten all fingers forward. Point your thumb upwards.
Slowly bend the four fingers inward, keeping the thumb up.
Hold this position for a few seconds and then return the fingers to the starting position.
Repeat the movement on the other hand.

Do 10 repetitions for each hand.

Alternating finger raises

Technique

Place your palm on the table and spread out all your fingers.
Starting with your thumb, slowly lift each one off the table one by one.
Hold in this position for a few seconds, and then return the fingers to the starting position.
Repeat the movement on the other hand.

Perform 10 repetitions for each hand.

Tennis ball squeeze

Do this exercise with a tennis ball or MFR ball.

Technique

Extend your arm and place the ball in it.
Squeeze the ball as hard as possible for 15 seconds.
Then relax your grip.

Perform 10 repetitions for each hand.

Finger extension with a rubber band

Use one or more rubber bands to complicate the exercise.

Technique

Place your hand on a table and put one or more rubber bands around all your fingers.
Flex your fingers, feeling the resistance of the rubber bands for 5-10 seconds.
Then return your fingers to the starting position.

Perform 10 repetitions for each hand.

Wrist stretch

Technique

Extend the left arm forward so that the palm is directed downward.
Using your right hand, bend the wrist of your left hand with slow pressure until you feel a stretching sensation in the wrist.
Hold in this position for 10-15 seconds and then return to the starting position.
Repeat the movement on the other hand.

Perform the exercise for one minute for each arm.

Tennis ball rolling

Perform the exercise with a tennis ball or MFR ball.

Technique

Place the ball on a table or any hard flat surface.
Place your palms on the ball and start rolling the ball from your palm to your fingertips, slowly pressing it into your hand.
Repeat the movement on the other hand.

Do the exercise for one to two minutes for each hand.